Partnership summary
| Type of partnership | An international student recruitment agreement between the university and an overseas recruitment partner agency |
|---|---|
| Study path | Students first enter a Korean language programme, then move on to an undergraduate or graduate degree programme. This route also requires a change of visa status from general training (D-4) to study (D-2). |
| Who takes part | The local partner agency, K-Biz Visa and the university work together. Depending on the country, a Korean partner office joins as well. |
| What K-Biz Visa handles | Joint design of selection criteria and second-stage document review, checks on admission and visa application documents, support with foreign resident registration, extension of stay and change of visa status, and briefings on immigration rules |
| What the university handles | Setting selection criteria, final admission review, issuing the Certificate of Admission, and academic and student life management |
| Partner countries | Nepal |
| Agreement terms | Recruitment fees, the agreement period and the reporting cycle are agreed in line with the university's standards for overseas recruitment partner agencies. |
Who handles what
Recruitment and first-stage checks happen locally, admission review at the university, and immigration procedures with K-Biz Visa.
| Stage | Local partner agency | K-Biz Visa | University |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recruitment and selection | Local promotion and counselling First-stage document, financial and language checks Arranging video interviews | Joint design of selection criteria Second-stage document review | Setting selection criteria Final admission review |
| Admission and visa | Help with document preparation Pre-departure orientation | Checking admission documents Reviewing visa application documents and advising students | Issuing the Certificate of Admission |
| After arrival | Contact point for parents | Support with foreign resident registration and extension of stay Briefings on immigration rules such as part-time work | Academic and student life management Sharing attendance records |
| Warning signs | Help contacting the student and family | Joint response with the university to absence or loss of contact Guidance on return and re-admission procedures | Academic measures and reporting |
Depending on the country, a Korean partner office also takes part. Its scope is set in the country page and the agreement.
Standards universities are assessed on
The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Justice assess how universities manage international students through the International Education Quality Assurance System (IEQAS), and the results are reflected in visa screening.
In degree programme certification, the two standards most directly linked to student recruitment are the illegal stay rate and certified language proficiency. Language checks at the local selection stage and managing each student's immigration dates after arrival affect both.
- <2% · <1%Illegal stay rateUniversities with fewer than 1,000 · 1,000 or more international students
- From the 4th assessment cycle (2025 to 2028), the rate is calculated across all enrolled international students. The certification threshold is under 2% for universities with fewer than 1,000 international students and under 1% for universities with 1,000 or more.
- 30% → 40%Certified language proficiency2025 assessment → from the 2026 assessment
- The share of new students with certified language proficiency, such as TOPIK level 3 or above. Universities must meet two of the three indicators in the international student management and outcomes area, and certified language proficiency is one of them.
- 1–3 yearsInstitutions subject to enhanced visa screeningPeriod of restricted visa issuance
- The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Justice designate these from among uncertified universities that fall under the minimum criteria of the fact-finding survey on international student management or have seriously breached the law. Once a university is designated, visa issuance is in principle prohibited. Universities designated in the 2025 assessment are restricted for 1 year from the second semester of 2026, and serious breaches can lead to restrictions of up to 3 years.
Source: Ministry of Education and Ministry of Justice announcements (12 February 2026, 9 April 2026). The two ministries decide certification and assessment results.
Checks before departure
Each student is checked in this order: documents, finances, then language and interview. Document issuing procedures differ by country, so the details are set out in each country page.
- DocumentsAcademic certificates are verified through official procedures such as consular confirmation, and family relationship and identity documents are checked against each other.
- FinancesThe bank balance and deposit period, the source of funds and the parents' income are checked. Balances deposited for a short period just before the application are screened out.
- Language and interviewStudents complete Korean language training before departure, and their study plan and reasons for studying in Korea are checked in a video interview. University staff can also join the interview.
- Pre-departure briefingStudents are told about their period of stay, the requirements for part-time work permission, and the penalties for illegal work or for leaving their programme without permission. The university's academic rules and attendance standards are passed on at the same time.
Immigration procedures after arrival and response to warning signs
- Immigration proceduresK-Biz Visa supports foreign resident registration, extension of stay, and the change of visa status from general training (D-4) to study (D-2) for students who finish language training. We track each student's dates with the university so that a missed application deadline does not cause problems with their stay.
- Attendance or contact problemsIf a student's attendance drops or contact is lost, we share the information with the university straight away and respond together.
- Updates each semesterEach semester we compile enrolment, TOPIK results and immigration status and share them with the university.
Process
The steps from the first discussion to management after admission. The schedule and the size of the first intake are agreed with the university.
Partnership process
University · Local partner agency · K-Biz Visa- Partnership proposal and meetingConfirm the study path and the university's selection criteria
- Signing the agreementAgree recruitment fees, the reporting cycle and the measures taken if a student leaves their programme without permission
- Local recruitment and selectionDocument, financial and language checks, and pre-departure Korean language training
- Admission and visaVisa application after the Certificate of Admission is issued
- Management after arrivalForeign resident registration, extension and change of status, and updates each semester
Korean embassies or consulates and the immigration office review visa issuance and permission to stay.
Partner countries
The local partner agency and the Korean participants differ by country. See each country page for details.
We add other countries once a local partner is in place.
Frequently asked questions
No. The local partner agency handles local recruitment and first-stage checks. K-Biz Visa supports second-stage document review, admission and visa document checks, and immigration procedures after arrival.
They are set in the agreement, in line with the university's standards for overseas recruitment partner agencies.
Students pay the university directly in their own name. The Ministry of Education's standard guidelines for handling international students and language trainees set as a principle that tuition is paid directly in the student's name and that refunds go to an account in the student's name.
The draft agreement includes a condition that, if the number of students who leave without permission exceeds the level set in the agreement, we accept the university's measures, such as suspending recruitment. We share information with the university from the first warning signs.
We start with the countries on the list. Other countries are added to the list once a local partner is in place.
This page is for university staff. Students are recruited through the local partner agency in each country.
For students already studying in Korea, we cover immigration procedures in our general training (D-4) and study (D-2) consultations.
Send a partnership enquiryTell us your university, your department, the programmes you are interested in and the intake semester you have in mind, and we will reply with how the partnership would work and the steps involved.